Article stacking device



March 22, 1960 s. cLAUsEN ET AL 2,929,383

ARTICLE STACKING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1956 ATTORNEY March 22, 1960 s. CLAUsEN ET AL 2,929,383

ARTICLE sTAcKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 6, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToRs" SIGURD CLAUSEN VICTOR G. HANSON ATTORNEY FIG. 2

March 22, 1960 Filed Nov. 6, 1956 S. CLAUSEN ET AL ARTICLE STACKING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS SIGURD CLAUSEN BY VICTOR G. HANSON ATTORNEY Marsh 22, 1960 s. cLAUsEN ET AL 2,929,383

ARTICLE STACKING DEVICE Filed Nov. e, 195e e sheets-sheet 4 INVENTORS SIGURD CLAUSEN VICTOR G. HANSON ATTORNEY March 22, 1960 s. CLAUSE-N ET AL 2,929,383

ARTICLE sTAcKING DEVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 6, 1956 ATTORNEY March 22, 1960 s. CLAUSEN ET AL 2,929,383

ARTICLE STACKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 6, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS SIGURD CLAUSEN BY VICTOR G. HANSON ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 22, 1,960

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2,929,383 Anrrctn srAe'KrNG Dayton Sigurd Clausen and Victor G. Hanson, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignors to International Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 6, 1956, Serial No. 620,755

7 Claims. (Cl. 1231-25) This invention relates to a device on a cigar machine for receiving and stacking finished cigars in large removable containers, trays or boxes.

Heretofore, cigars have been deposited from the re, rolling device under a stationary surface on which they were stacked by hand (usually in tied bundles) in removable containers.

It is therefore an object of this invention to devise a removable tray on which cigars may be automatically stacked to a predetermined height. Thus, the invention relates to a removable container and a mechanism for stacking cigars in a container, one by one, as they are advanced finished from the machine. Thus, the invention could also be utilized for stacking cigars in retail cigar boxes or containers.

The invention as illustrated in the following specifications, and in the drawings, shows an embodiment of the invention adapted forA attachment to an automatic Toscani machine, such as shown in the co-pending application of- Clausen et al., Serial No. 587,168 led May.` 24, 1956. lt is obvious, of course, that the device of the invention may be adapted to any cigar machine and indeed any machine that advances, one by one, articles and particularly articles of a rod-like or cigar-like shape.

lt is an object of the invention to stack the articles in an orderly fashion to prevent mis-alignment of the articles in the receptacle.

It is a further object of the invention .toprovide guides for stacking the articles to a predetermined height while j slightly advancing the container past the guides in order to align the articles in parallel ina vertical column.

It is therefore also an object of the invention to devise a novel means for stacking articles Yof'this nature to a predetermined height. Since cigars of varying predetermined diameters may be made from time to time onvthe same cigar machine it is necessary to accommodate the advancement of the delivery container or tray past the stacking device in accordance with thepredetermined-diameter of the cigar.

Accordingly, it is still'another object of the inventionv to devise a readily adjustable advancingmeans for varying the intermittent advancement of the container or box past the stacking device.

A further object is to operate theadvancement Vmeans from motion existent on the cigar machine to obtain ready and automatic timing.

The novel features which we believe to befcharacteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organizationand method of operation will beunderstood by reference to the following. embodiment `shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a partial front view of a delivery unit of `a cigar machine in conjunction with afcigar transfer device and an advancing delivery tray and stackingV mechanism;

Fig.V 2 is a front elevation of the actuating mechanism for the same;

Fig. 3 is a partial end elevation illustrating the delivery tray advancing mechanism taken on line -3-3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional plan view of the same taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig.l 5 is an end elevation of the leading end of the advancing tray delivery mechanism in conjunction with thel cigar transfer and stacking mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same taken on line 6 6 ofv Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation illustrating the cigar transfer fingers in receiving position at the delivery station of. a cigar machine;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation illustrating the cigar transfer fingers during the delivery of a cigar to the depositings D. The cigar delivery unit is mounted adjacent theA delivery station of a cigar machine such as disclosed in the aforementioned co-pending application.

station during the nal trimming and knurling operation by means of a pair of gripper jaws which are actuatedv through a pair of rods 22 connected to a suitably shaped cam lever 24 carrying a cam roller 26 (Fig. 2) engaging with a cam 28 on the main cam shaft 30 in the same fashion and corresponding with the disclosure in the afore mentioned patent application.

The cigar transfer device T which takes the cigar C outof the gripper jaws 20 and delivers the same to the` stackingvmechianism S consists of a pair of suitably shaped', andvproperly spaced transfer lingers 32 adjustably mounted on a horizontal shaft 34 projecting from and secured at one end to a lug 36 mounted on the upper end of a vertical shaft 38 supported by the upright portion 88 of' rollers 46 pivotally/'mounted to the free end of a forked arm 48 loosely mounted on a shaft 50 which is supported' by suitable bearing brackets 52 (Fig. 2) secured to the bedplate 42 of the cigar machine. Forked arml 48' is.

integral with a cam lever 54 which on its free end carries.

acam roller 56 engaging with a cam 58 mounted on thev main cam shaft 30. The cam 58 through the aforemen-v tioned linkage and arm effects the vertical reciprocating motion of shaft 38. To the lower portion of shaft 38is` also secured an arm 60Vloosely carrying on its free endy a block 62 which slidingly engages with the lower free endv of a rod or stud 64 whose upper end is secured to the free end of an arm 66 integral with a sleeve 68 by means of which in conjunction with a collar 70 the'arm 66 is rotatably supported by the bearing bracket 4) and at the. same time provides rotatable as well as vertically slidable support for the vertical shaft 38. v

The upper end of the vertical stud 64 also rotatablyengages with one end of a connecting rod 72 (Figs. 5. and 6) while the other end of said rod is pivotally con-v nected with the free end of a cam lever' 74 (Fig. 2)v loosely supported on a stud shaft 76 held by asuitable. frame portion of the machine. Cam lever 74y carries, cam ro-ller 78 which engages with a cam Sti which may beintegral with the cam 58 monted on the main cam shaftl 30V (Fig. 2). Cam 8S through cam lever 74, connecting rod 72, vertical stud 64 on arm 66 and arm 60" imparts oscillating motion to the vertical shaft 38 which The cigar C as disclosed in said application is held at the deliverydue to the slidable engagement of vertical stud 64 with arm 60 may be vertically reciprocated as well as oscillated at the same time.

The transfer of the finished cigar C from the gripper jaws 20'of the cigar machine to the stacking device S is accomplished by the transfer fingers 32 dwelling below the cigar C (Fig. 7) and adjacent the gripperl jaws 20 holding the same. As soon as the gripper jaws 20 open, the transfer fingers 32 move upward to a position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7 and thereby lifting the cigar out of the open gripper jaws 20. The transfer finger rod 34 then swings horizontally 90 as indicated in Fig. 9 carrying the cigar to a position above the stacking device S.

Stacking device S has a pair of spaced stripper bars 82 and a pair of guide or stack bars 84, which form a guide channel for a'cigar. Stripper bars 82 are adjust ably mounted on a supporting member 86 secured to an upright portion 88 of the bearing bracket 40. The guide or stack bars 84 are also adjustably mounted on a transverse supporting member 90 secured by means of brackets 92 and 94 to member 86.

Parallel with and adjacent to member 86 is located a horizontal shaft 96 which at one end is rotatably supported by portion 88 of bearing bracket 40, while the other end is rotatably supported by a suitable bearing lug 98. Threaded at right angles through shaft 96 are two spaced rods 100 whose downward projecting portion is long enough to arrest any cigar which rolls down the upper inclined portion of the stack bars 84. Shaft 96 has a collar 102 to which is anchored one end of a torsion spring 104 (Figs. 5 and 6) while the other end of the same is secured to the bearng lug 98. Torsion spring 104 is employed for the purpose of keeping the rods 100 in inclined position and across the path of the cigars rolling down the upper inclined portion of stack bars 84 (Fig. 8). The upwardly projecting ends of rods 100 are urged against the upper edge of member 86 which serves as a stop for the spring urged rods 100.

Shaft 96 also has secured to it'a trip lug 106 which when being depressed would rotate shaft 96 to such an extent as to cause rods 100 to swing out of the path of the cigar and permit the latter to roll down the stack bar and to be guided into a receptacle R as illustrated in Fig. 1. For this reason the lug 36 which is mounted on the top end of shaft 38 and supports the transfer linger carrying shaft 34 is provided with a suitable downwardly projecting cam lug 108 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6). Lug 108 engages with and depresses trip lug 106 when shaft 38 and the transfer lingers 32 descend at the cigar receiving station of the delivery end of the cigar machine as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 8. This arrangement and timing, of course, means that the preceding cigar which was transferred and deposited in the stacking device is now released and permitted to roll down into the receptacle R.

As described heretofore, the transfer fingers 32 then move upward and lift a new finished cigar out of the opening gripper jaws 20 after which said fingers carrying the cigar swing horizontally 90 from the dotted position to the full line position illustrated in Fig. 9. To assure perfect alignment of the cigar with the stacking device, the arm 66 on shaft 38 engages with and is arrested byan adjustable stop screw 110 (Figs. 5, 6 and 9) held by a suitable bar 112 mounted on bearing bracket 40. After the cigar C carried by the transfer fingers 32 arrives over the stacking device S the transfer fingers 32 descend thereby causing stripper bars 82 to strip the cigar from the descending fingers 32 which results in a downward roll of the cigar C over the inclined free ends of the stripper bars 82 as illustrated in Fig. 8. From the stripper bars 82 the cigar drops onto the guide and stack bars 84 and the cigar rolls down on them until arrested by the rods 100 which, as illustrated in Fig. 8

' jaws 20. Of course, during the downward travel of the are now in the path of said cigar. The rods serve g5 transfer fingers at this station the cam lug 108 contacts and depresses thev trip lug 106 on shaft 96 which causes rods 100 to swing out of the path of the previously deposited and arrested cigar and permits the latter to roll down the bars 84 to be stacked in the receptacle R as previously mentioned and illustrated in Fig. l.

The bars 84 project downwardly almost to the bottom of the receptacle R to properly stack them as illustrated in Fig. 1. The receptacle R is supported by an endless conveyor belt 114 which is slowly and intermittently advanced by an oscillating arm 116 carrying a pair of spring mounted pawls 118 which engage with a ratchet 120 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) mounted on a shaft 122 to which is also keyed the conveyor belt driving pulley 124. The conveyor belt 114 is led over an idler pulley 126 (Figs. 5, 6 and 9) and its upper run is also supported over a plurality of spaced rollers 128 (Figs. l and 6) which provide level supporting means for the receptacle.

Idler pulley 126 is mounted on a shaft 130 supported by a suitable bearing bracket 132 secured to the bed plate 42 of the cigar machine. Each supporting roller 128 is rotatably mounted on a stud shaft 134 all of which are suitably held by a pair of parallel spaced bars 136 which at one end are secured to the bracket 132 while the other ends of both are mounted to a cross bar 138 which at one end is secured to a bearing bracket 140 while the other end supports a bearing lug 142 which with bearing bracket 140 forms a rotatable support for the conveyor drive shaft 122. The bearing bracket 140 is secured to the bed plate 42 of the machine. The oscillating arm 116 is loose mounted on shaft 122 and connected to a crank pin 144 by means of a link 146 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4). Crank pin 144 is oscillated and carried by a bell crank lever 148 rotatably supported by a stud shaft 150 (Fig. l) protruding from and held by a bracket 152 mounted on the bed plate 42. The bell crank lever 148 is provided with two arms 154 and 156, respectively.

The free end of arm 154 carries an adjustable contact screw 158 which, due to a tension spring 160 acting upon arm 156, engages with a horizontal stud 162 (Fig. l) carried by and projecting from an arm 164 also loosely supported by the stud shaft 150. The freeV end of arm 164 by means of an adjustable connecting rod 166 is connected to a bell crank shaped cam lever 168 (Fig. 2)

carrying a cam roller 170 engaging with a cam 172 mounted on the cam shaft 30. It is self-evident from this structure that any rocking or oscillating motion imparted by cam 172 to arm 164 is also through stud 162 and contact screw 158 transmitted to the crank pin carrying bell crank lever 148 which in turn through link 146, pawl carrying arm 116 and ratchet 120 transmit an intermittent rotary motion to the conveyor driving pulley 124.

In order to control or adjust the distance of each intermittent forward motion of the conveyor belt 114 carrying the receptacle R the arm 156 of bell crank lever 148 carries an adjustable stop screw 174 by means of which the length of engagement of contact screw 158 with stud 162 on the oscillating arm 164 can be regulated to any desirable degree. Due to the action of tension spring on the hell crank lever the contact screw on arm 154 follows the stud 162 on arm 164 during its downward motion or feed stroke until the lower end of stop screw 174 contacts a rib of bracket 140 and arrests the bell crank lever while permitting the oscillating arm 164 to swing its full distance as dictated by the shape of its actuating cam 172. The oscillating arm 164 1s also provided and integral with another upright arm 176 the free end of which carries a roller 178 which engages with a grooved collar 180 (Fig. 1) mounted on a horizontal shaft 182 rotatably as well as horizontally slidably supported in suitable bearings of and attached to bracket 152. To one end of the shaft 180 is secured a knurler head 184 provided for the purpose of engaging with and knurling the head of the cigar held by the jaws 20. The shaft 182' While being horizontally reciprocated by means of arm 176 is also rotated by suitable means (not shown) in the same fashion as illustrated and described in the patent application of Clausen et al., SN. 587,168 mentioned heretofore.

As the nished cigars are deposited one by one from the transfer device T into the stacking device S, the bars 84 guide said cigars into the receptacle R which eifects a stacking of the same between the leading wall of the receptacle and the lower end of bars 84. Depending on the speed with which the receptacle or tray R is advanced by the conveyor belt 114 the cigars can be stacked to any desirable height or number of layers. The trailing end wall of the receptacle or tray R is provided with a suitable cutout 186 (Figs. 3, 5 and 9) which serves` as a suitable exit of the bars 84 when the forward moving receptacle is filled and the trailing end Wall of the same has reached the bars 84.

We claim:

1. The combination of a cigar machine having releasable gripper means to support a cigar during the last operation on the cigar, a transfer device to lift a cigar from said gripper means when said gripper means are in release position, a stacking device, said stacking device having guide members to guide a cigar substantially downwardly to depositing position, stripper means adjacent the top of said guide members, said transfer means moving to a position adjacent said guide members and past said stripper members so that said stripper members may strip a cigar from said transfer means to said guide means, means movable to an arresting position along said guide members to arrest a cigar guided therealong, said means being movable to a non-arresting position upon actuation, actuatin7 means on said transfer device to so actuate said arresting means subsequentto the arrival of a cigar at said arresting means and after said cigar is aligned thereby on said guide means, a container supported to receive said guide means, and means to advance said container intermittently at a predetermined rate so said guide means may stack said cigars therein.

2. The combination of a cigar machine having releasable gripper means to support a cigar during the last operation on the cigar, a transfer device to lift a cigar from said gripper means when they are in release position, a stacking device, said stacking device having guide members to guide a cigar substantially downwardly to depositing position, stripper means adjacent the top of said guide members, said transfer means moving toa position adjacent said guide members and past said stripper members so that said stripper members may strip a cigar from said transfer means to said guide means, means movable to an arresting position along said guide members to arrest a cigar guided therealong, said means being movable to a non-arresting position upon actuation, actuating means on said transfer device to so actuate said arresting means subsequent to the arrival of a cigar at said arresting means and after said cigar is aligned thereby on said guide means, and a container Isupported to receive said guide means. Y

3. In combination at the delivery end of a cigar machine, a knurler movable to a knurling position for knurling a finished cigar, an endless conveyor to advance a receiving container for cigars, a container on said conveyor, guide means extending into said container to guide cigars into said container for stacking, and means to advance said conveyor at a predetermined rate during the stacking operation, said means including a device securable to said knurler and operable therefrom to advance said conveyor a predetermined increment for each move-ent of said knurler to a knurling position.

4. In combination at the delivery end of a cigar machine, a knurler movable to a knurling position for knurling a finished cigar, an endless conveyor to advance a receiving container for cigars, a container on said conveyor, guide means extending into said container to guide cigars into said container for stacking, an opening in said container to permit passage of said guide means out of said container, and means to advance said conveyor at a predetermined rate during the stacking operation to move said container past and beyond said guide means, said means including a device sccurable to said knurler and operable therefrom to advance said conveyor a predetermined increment for each movement of said knurler to a knurling position.

5. In a cigar machine having a knurling mechanism, said knurling mechanism having a longitudinally movable rotating shaft, an arm to move said shaft longitudinal-ly to and fro, an endless belt positioned to receive cigars knurled by said knurling mechanism, and means connected to said arm comprising a pawl and ratchet operatively arranged to drive said belt from said arm to advance said belt a predetermined distance in one direction during movement of said arm.

6. A device substantially as set forth in claim 5 further characterized by adjustable stop means to selectively vary the operative stroke of said pawl and ratchet so that the distance of movement of said belt on an advancement stroke may be varied.

7. In a cigar machine having a knurling mechanism, said knurling mechanism having a longitudinally movable rotating shaft, an arm to move said shaft longitudinally to and fro, a transfer device adapted to advance a cigar forwardly from said knurling mechanism, meansV for supporting and advancing a tray adapted to receive cigars from said transfer device, a drive transmitting connection operatively connected to said means to drive Said means in one direction only, and a connecting linkage between said drive transmitting connection and said arm to operate said drive transmitting connection on vmovement of said arm so that the supporting and advancing means will be operated and timed from said lknurling mechanism.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 

